New Carlisle road closed for days to clean up 10K tons of corn

A grain silo collapsed in New Carlisle late Sunday night, dumping 10,000 tons of corn onto Ohio 571 and closing the road at least through Wednesday.

The collapse happened about 11:40 p.m. Sunday at the Miami Valley Feed & Grain & Drive-Thru at 880 W. Jefferson St. The cause of the collapse isn’t known.

READ MORE: New Carlisle Council moves ahead with levy request for fire, EMS

A section of the roadway near Scarff Road will be closed through at least Wednesday, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation that could change as the cleanup progresses.

“We won’t leave the scene until we know the road is open and clear and that we do not have any other problems,” New Carlisle Fire Chief Steve Trusty said.

ODOT has advised drivers to take Ohio 201 to U.S. 40 to Ohio 235 as a detour.

The corn contained in the silo, which is owned by the Miami Valley Feed and Grain Co., was enough to fill 200 semi-truck loads, Trusty said.

Several power lines and at least three power poles also were knocked down in the collapse, Trusty said, causing temporary outages. By early Monday afternoon, power was restored everywhere except the granary lot itself.

MORE: Hunting photos lead to wildlife charges for New Carlisle men

The Miami Valley Feed and Grain Co. told emergency crews that no employees were on-site when the structure collapsed.

“At this time, we have no thoughts that there is anybody trapped or anybody inside,” Trusty said.

The silo also damaged two buildings on the property, crushing one and partially collapsing another.

A representative from the Ohio State Fire Marshal’s office will come to New Carlisle to examine the scene, Trusty said, but fire crews believe the damage was caused by a collapse, not an explosion.

Kendall Dechaene, who lives down the street from the granary, was home last night when the collapse happened. Dechaene saw a bright flash near the granary, he said.

“There was loud thunder and it rumbled on quite awhile,” Dechaene said. “Then the lights went out.”

MORE: New Carlisle business to begin up to $8M expansion

The closed road is one of the most frequently used in New Carlisle, Mayor Ethan Reynolds said.

“Having a road closed that’s a main road for our city is going to have an impact,” Reynolds said.

Crews started moving the corn from the road to the granary lot by midday Monday, Trusty said.

Bethel Twp. and Elizabeth Twp. fire crews assisted New Carlisle’s fire division with cleanup.

About the Author